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Macaron Tutorial

Thursday, February 05, 2009

I hold dear and close the big things in life like love, family, friendships, and connections. I also believe they are all enhanced by the little things. The little things in life...Those little trickets or thoughts that we hang onto. They might be in a shoe box in your closet or the attic, they might be on your nightstand. Special paper and photographs in your desk drawers. A dish or an ingredient that you are cherishing to the last crumb.

When I moved to the US, I came with the two suitcases and a few little things that kept me connected to my home. Among those items were "Pipou" a stuffed rabbit that I got when I was born and a tiny porcelain box with my name on it. What was I thinking?. Imagine the first time B. stayed over: "oh and by the way, meet my favorite blankie type thingie, Pipou" Now that a sure way to get rid of your date!! Or was I so afraid to become mute that the box would become another way to give my name out?! Well I know why they came along but retrospectively it could have thrown a few people off. However I did meet a wonderful man who embraced all the crazy little things his crazy expat of a wife enjoyed and needed to stay connected with.

A lot of the little things that bring me a smile on my face are, you can guess, often related to food. I just have to open a jar of Herbes de Provence that I can hear the cicadas and all of a sudden I am home for a brief instant. Open the jar, close the jar. Open the jar, close the jar.....smile. Slicing lemons almost always makes me want to drop a couple of slices in a hot cup of tea, just like Mamie used to do. Within ten minutes, the kettle is singing away. Little things like that make me vibrate, keep me alive, keep me going. We all have our inner batteries, these are mine.

I made a bunch of souffles earlier this month, and for one of them I opened up my last and treasured can of chestnut paste.One of my little things. I kept it waiting on the shelf for a long long time but one souffle I wanted to bake again was my family's Chesnut Chocolate Tapioca Souffles ( you can read the full article in Desserts Magazine). When I served one to B., he exclaimed "Oh my gosh! Did you finally pop that last can open? That's serious!" while my head was screaming "yes I did , so pay attention and eat it slowly!". I did not say it outloud though. I did however scrape that can to the last drop of cream and froze the leftover for a future dessert.

It then hit me that my favorite way to eat it is still the simplest: with a spoon. However, since it is a delicacy after all, to be savoured to the last bit, I decided to give it a more proper farewell than us, our spoons, a tin can and a comfy sofa. I made a verrine layering a simple milk chocolate mousse, a layer of bittersweet chocolate ganache, chesnut cream mousse and a little whipped cream. Delicious! It was winter comfort at its best for me. Now I must remember to ask mom to bring more when they come next month (read this mom?!).

What are your "little things" in life?

Milk Chocolate And Chesnut Mousse Verrines Recipe:

Serves 4 depending on the size of your ramekins or glasses.

Kitchen Notes: you can find "creme de marrons" or chesnut cream online, here for example or make your own. The chocolate painted glasses I used were extras I had prepared for the Daring Bakers challenge last month and did not used and they worked perfectly with this.

In a bowl set over a pan of simmering water (make sure that the bowl fits snuggly over the pan and does not touch the water), melt together the chocolate, milk, and butter. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. In a mixer, whip the cream to medium peaks and fold it into the chocolate mixture. Pipe or spoon the mousse into ramekins or glasses. Refrigerate.

In a small heavy saucepan set over medium hight heat, bring the cream to a boil. Place the chocolate into a medium sized bowl and pour the hot cream over it. Let the mixture stand for 2 to 3 minutes. Gently stir the cream and chocolate together with a spatula until the mixture comes togethr and is fully combined. Let cool completely before dividing it on top of the chocolate mousse. Refrigerate.

In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream to medium stiff peaks. Add one third into the chesnut puree to lighten it and then fold in the remaining whipped cream until combined. Pipe or spoon on top of the ganache layer. Refrigerate.

For the whipped cream:1/2 cup (125ml) heavy cream

In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream to medium stiff peaks. Pipe or spoon on top of the chestnut layer and level with an offset spatula.

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comments:

Helen you're always so good at putting accross your stories about about and your life in France! They make me wish for Paris, in the Latin Quarter, sipping coffee.........

Anyway this looks fantastic as always and my little things are fresh bread baking, the smell that my food mixer motor makes when it's used (don't ask) and some retro dishes I have that make me nostalgic every time I use them!

If my husband saw this dessert, he would leave me and go find you right away:):) He loves everything chestnut. This particular brand is available in most supermarkets here in Canada, but I never see or hear about anyone buying them. It's a very European thing isn't it?

What a lovely post! Wish I could see a photo of Pipou.. or is he not very photogenic these days? :) You remind me of a friend of mine who still travels with her favourite childhood soft toy. Her husband 'tolerates' its presence in their lives.. heh heh.

One of my little things is Nutella on crusty bread. Growing up in a Sicilian household we ate Nutella long before it was widely avilable in the US. Many Sunday mornings this was our breakfast, spreading Nutella on bread, chocolate faced, watching my Mother prepare the sauce early in the morning for the big meal we had on Sunday afternoons. Your post was beautiful. I hope everyone can find the little things in life that matter.

Some of the things that evoke the strongest memories for me aren't really very glamourous or gourmet. In fact, I wrote about how viva puff/mallow cookies remind me of my grand mother in my own blog just a few days ago: http://danamccauley.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/foods-you-love-but-shouldnt/

That said, it is so true, it's our people and our memories that make life worth living!

Oh, mine are even weirder! All my stuffed animals and things like that are still at my mother's house, but I have a little table of trinkets from my bedroom at home that sit in my living room now - a New York taxi piggy bank from my aunt, a San Francisco cable car music box from my uncle, a set of Beatles matryoshkas I got in Prague, a rooster beanie baby from my Grandpa who died, and a little stuffed kangaroo from my friend in Australia. And I'm from North Carolina. Haha, I guess for me "home" is the road.

Beautiful post as always and lovely pictures for company!! These are little things too that make my day:). On a serious note I think my most precious little things are books I have accumulated over the years! I love to feel them, smell them and this takes me back in time - In fact most of my good memories are locked in books:)! And I love it when my children read these books and see the surprise in their faces when they see the dates (I record the date and the place) - they can't believe the books are so old and yet so well kept!!

Hmm, I dunno! My little thing is not so little! (Hey, mind outta gutter! Joke.) I meant to say it's my laptop, even if it's broken now :( And then there is lechon sauce. Oh, wow.I can't believe it's difficult to find chestnut puree? We get that same brand back in Manila!! O_o (have never seen the inside of a can though!)Again very well done with the verrines! You never disappoint!

Dang my sister in law (from France) and brother in law visited France a year ago. The next time they go I'm asking for a can or two.BTW are you sure you don't have an extra bedroom or sofa for an unwanted guest?! LOL..

I am not normally a fan of milk chocolate and have never had anything chestnut flavored, but the combination does sound good. Comments are making it seem like it would be similar to Nutella, which is definitely a combination that works! I'm sure this dessert is much better than any jarred spread, though.

Lisa: yes, grew up on Nutella too. Actually, there was another chocolate paste called Cote D'Or that we used to get and loved but it is not produced anymore.

Mark: it is not that it is hard to find here if you order online, it is just that my mom pays like $2 for a can at her local supermarket compared to the amazon price tag. Add the fact that she sends it and that makes it priceless!

These look so yummy. My little things are making my little girls bed and finding an article of my clothing because she likes the smell of mommy. Listening to my son sing. Looking at pictures of old friends. Cooking from the cookbook my mother used to cook from when I was a little girl.

Is it marrom glace? I think we treasure little foods that reminds us of home, or someplace special. There is a Brazilian butter that comes in a can. It tastes great, but what like most is to see that little can on top of the fridge, it gives me such a comfort feeling.

as beautiful as your desserts are, what draws me back time and time again are your warm words and generous memories. I feel as if I'm sitting in your kitchen watching you, sipping tea by the warm hearth...a sort of Babbette's Feast for my soul.

i had a porcelain figurine from my dad that i had had since i was a baby and it fell off my desk and broke one day into a hundred tiny pieces...sean felt so bad even though he did nothing. i dissolved into a teary mess immediately and i saved all the pieces in an old jewelry box my aunt gave me. i just can't let it go and it's been three years!

oh, and i also have my blankie tucked away in my closet. so, i totally understand you bringing those two special (even if they seem juvenile to some) items with you.

I met my husband my freshman year at college. At the time I was going through a "baby" phase and decided it would be smarter to get a cabbage patch doll. I made everyone on my dorm floor kiss the doll goodnight each night. I told my husband about the baby-mania and my stuffed doll on our first date. Maybe not my smartest move, but then at least I was setting him up for the crazy from early on.

These look so fantastic. I haven't moved to another country (yet!)but I have taken my "Handy Puppy" (like a teddy bear) that I've had since I was 6 mo with me EVERYWHERE. When he makes the bed, my fiance still puts her on top of my pillow. We're lucky girls :)

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh mousse a la crème de marrons est le dessert le plus merveilleux en existence!!!! ça me manque beaucoup beaucoup beaucoup!!!!! when i came back from france i made my suitcase around 50kilos---5 big cans of crème de marrons!

I made my own while i was in paris, long time ago prolly before you first read my blog, les photos sont vachement horribles!! mais l'idee est là :) http://saltycod.blogspot.com/2008/06/birthday-mousse-la-crme-de-marrons.html

My Christmas log is filled with chestnut mousse. 10 years ago, I was able to buy Creme de Marrons in the Washington DC area, and sporadically, I could find it. More often than not, I have to make creme from whole chestnuts. My sister's favorite crepe always has been the one filled with creme de marrons.

As far as the little (food) things: ginger root, homemade jam, special lentils and vanilla beans that my family bring over when they visit are all part of that. Old pretty china cups for coffee in the morning; some real silverware that comes from one of my grand mother, and the quilts made by the other.(and - ahem - I had a puppet bear called called Charles Gustave. He is till around...)

At the risk of sounding a little cuckoo, my thing has always been magazines. First it was fashion magazines, now, as you can well guess, it's food magazines/books. I carry them with me 99% of the time. Seriously. Even if I rarely ever read them outside of the house, I still carry it with me if I'm going out for the entire day. They've been in my handbag at countless airports and countries I've visited. Somehow they always remind me that I've brought a familiar part of myself that I can stay close to wherever I go. Yeah, right, in case I get lost or something huh? Well guess what, I have them close by even when I'm at home; I even put them beside my bed! So yes, I am crazy!

Absolutely delicious!! Well, looks that way and I bet that coming from your kitchen it was!!Those photographs are so inviting as if we were ready to sit down with you.Little things: snowflakes. They make me jump with joy!

Hi !I am sakura from Tokyo , Japan .I LOVE your blog, everything is so fantastic !As a reader of your blog, I must tell you how much I enjoy it. Lovely!!!You're on my daily list! Thanks for giving me so much inspiration!

I was just thinking that since your mother is coming out next month, that you could ask her to bring some for you :) I love love love chestnuts and yet I've only ever had them roasted (which are lovely). I think your way looks pretty amazing. I want to see a picture of Pipou. Must be better than my oso pequeño which swears like a sailor ;) My little things in life are the communications and connections I keep day to day with dear friends like you. They are little and big, you know what I mean? xxoo

little things...they are really the big things in the end, aren't they?? Let's see, my kids' artwork, being cozy on the sofa with my Siamese cat curled up on my lap, taste memories like my grandma's chocolate chip cookies, her wooden chopping bowl, the smell of autumn (that's a big one for me).... Does your mom have enough room in her suitcase to bring us all back some chestnut puree?? LOL!:) Beautiful story, lovely dessert!

Helen, I moved to the US 10.5 years ago and brought this journal with all my friends' addresses. We all just finished high school the year I moved, and still lived with our parents. I still have that journal even though all the phone numbers have changed and my friends moved out and addresses are not valid anymore. But I still cherish their handwriting and their warm wishes that they wrote along their addresses. I'll probably keep it forever, it keeps me connected to the home.

these look heavenly helen...like something i might even be able to make!and i just i luhuuuv that chestnut creme...i always try to bring a can or two home from paris--we put it in crepes or on ice cream--now i will try this recipe for sure...(and i love that you put daisies in your empty can--what a sweet sweet picture... i may copy you this spring!)

THOSE are BEAUTIFUL! I would LOVE to eat one but hate to mess up the look in the glass. Hmmmm... I don't believe you can have you dessert and pretty too!BTW... I while back you asked for my address... just wondering... were you going to send me one of these cups full of heaven? LOLOLOLOLENJOY your weekend!Fifi

I've moved so many times in my life, my security blanket is my books. I only start to feel comfortable in a new house when I have my books out on shelves. Moi j'aime bien la manger avec de la creme fraiche ou des fois du fromage blanc, la creme de marrons de Clement Faugier. Mais tes verrines ont l'air delicieuse.

I have a whole bunch of these little cans of crème de marrons in my cupboard just because they are so cute but I have yet to bake with it. These look so delicious! Gives a girl hope. Beautiful desserts!

My little things are much more simple - mostly coming home to the smell of a perfectly cooked stew sitting in a crock pot, just waiting to be eaten. It always brings me back to elementary school, more innocent times. As always, your mousse looks absolutely magnificent. Your art makes me jealous ;-)

Right now the first things that come to my mind are my mom's navy bean soup, her tapioca pudding and biscuits - good when you have a fever.Chestnut mousse . . . that should be amazing! These little cups . . . well they are truly amazing.

As a French expat (also from the South) in Scotland, seeing your pictures of the chestnut spread brought me back to the family house in a second. I can't even explain how happy I was when I found a tiny place in Edinburgh that sells the same brand!

Difficult to pick among all those little things that unexpectedly trigger memories, but 'creme venitienne' (my mum's recipe is priceless) and 'varesien' are real gems. Sigh.

I just tried out the dessert today and i must say it was really nice, but a little too rich in my opinion =p

One problem, the ganache was a little too hard, i couldnt spoon through all the layers at once. Is it supposed to be as such? Or is it supposed to have a softer texture? It was like refrigerated hard chocolate texture.

p/s: you didn't know how elated i was when i managed to find the same brand of chestnut puree here in singapore! i love the look and design of the can =p if shipping were not so expensive, i wouldnt mind shipping you some!

Anonymous: yes, 175ml, thanks for catching that.Regarding the sugar, that really is up to your taste and how sweet you like your desserts. With the milk chocolate mousse, I would not add too much sugar, maybe 2 tablespoons. Try with a small amount how you like it and increase as much or as little as you wish.